Some landlords are too busy to find tenants for their properties, and that is why they opt to hire people to do it for them. It will help them balance all their tasks of managing properties while filling in vacancies. Finding the best tenant out there is the ultimate goal for rental agents. For you to reach that goal, you should perform thorough tenant screenings.

The tenant screening process includes interviews with applicants and background checks. Through background checks, you can see an applicant’s tenant history, credit history, and employment status. Their employment status will help determine if they can afford to pay the monthly rent.

You should anticipate that you would have to call their employers to verify the information they gave you. After the applicant fills up the form, you should reach out to their employers as soon as possible. Here are some tips when you are making verification calls:

You should look up the company on the Yellow Pages. The number must coincide with the number provided by the applicant, including the area code. It is also common to see a company with several contact numbers. You can email the company, but phone calls are faster, and you will get an immediate response to your queries.

If the tenant’s previous company closed down by the time you conducted the background check, you should verify if they were operational during the years the tenant was employed.

Once you reach the company, talk politely, and introduce yourself. State the purpose of your call and ask for the contact person stated in the application. If the person you are looking for is not available, leave your name, contact information, and when it is possible to reach you.

For example, this is what you should say:
“Good morning. May I please speak to (reference’s name)? I am calling about (applicant’s name). He is applying to rent a property, and I would like to verify some of the information he provided.”

If the person is available, greet him politely and ask if he is available to answer your questions. Your questions should include:

• Confirmation if the employee was working during the dates provided
• His duties and job description
• His salary

You can also ask the reference’s opinion on the applicant’s performance if he is responsible and reliable. It is an advantage if he can give feedback about issues regarding the applicant. It can give you an idea of a person’s business ethic. Look out for red flags such as inconsistencies about his salary and details of his employment, fake references, and negative comments from the employer.

If the applicant provided more than one reference, check them as well. You can get more information if you have more people to interview.

You might encounter an employer who will refuse to provide the information that you need. If this happens, you can check the applicant’s credit report instead to confirm his income.

Document everything that you have gathered during your inquiry. You should keep any emails and text messages as a paper trail.

If you find any red flags, I suggest that you do not approve the application. It will help prevent any future problems for the landlords.

You must provide the landlords with good tenants because it will reflect on your ability to do your job well. Screen as many applicants as you can to keep your options open. If you post the property listings at Padleads, you will definitely have numerous tenant applicants because the listings can be syndicated to other websites too.